County Clippings 5-29-09

Thursday

May 28, 2009 at 2:00 AMMay 28, 2009 at 11:00 PM

Patriot Staff

EDWARD F. MARONEY PHOTOS WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE – Bob Dubois of the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce reacts to a gag gift from Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross at this week’s summit meeting on the impending closure of the Route 6 rest area between exits 6 and 7. With county funds for the upkeep of the facility ending June 30, county commissioner Mary Pat Flynn called a meeting of chamber directors to try to patch together a solution for the summer and fall season. Northcross (who offered some funds as well as the Charmin) and other attendees planned to meet again today (May 29).

Homelessness network leadership in flux

Ron Bergstrom is the coordinator of the Regional Network to Address Homelessness on Cape Cod and the Islands – unless he isn’t. Bergstrom said county human services director Beth Albert sent out an advisory stating that Bergstrom’s appointment had been withdrawn due to a conflict with the county charter. As an elected county official – he’s Chatham’s member of the county Assembly of Delegates, and its speaker – Bergstrom is not allowed to be paid with county funds. County commissioners chairman Sheila Lyons told the Patriot May 27 that Bergstrom was no longer in the position. She said the decision was the result of discussions with county attorney Robert Troy. But the nature of the funds for the homelessness network – flowing from the federal government to the state – remains at question, according to Bergstrom. “I’m confident there’s no county money involved in this project,” he said in a May 28 interview. Bergstrom said he’s also talked with Troy, who said he’d “look at it again and issue a written opinion for us in the next couple of days.” Bergstrom said Troy “doesn’t seem to think I have any ethical conflicts, but the language of the charter is written broadly.” On May 27, Lyons said elected county officials “can’t be hired on behalf of the county in any way with money coming from the county. You can’t work for the county if you’re an elected official.” Commissioner Mary Pat Flynn noted that, when Bergstrom originally applied for the position, “it was not a county job.” Since then, the county has increased its oversight and Lyons has become co-chair of the network. “Everyone’s trying to make sure we’re on strong legal grounds,” Bergstrom said. “I don’t want to do anything to damage the project.” Although he met with the program’s policy board and attended a meeting in Boston on evaluating networks, Bergstrom is laying low for now. “At this point,” he said, “I’m taking a step back rather than create an awkward situation for everybody.” More boots on the ground Six more AmeriCorps volunteers will be coming to Cape Cod through a federal Recovery Act Grant of $163,390. The new volunteers are part of a “boots on the ground” response to the economic times. Darlene Johnson-Morris, who heads the county’s Resource Development Office and the local AmeriCorps program, told the county commissioners that the six will live in a residence provided by Housing Assistance Corporation for one year while they work on foreclosure prevention and related programs. The volunteers are expected to start training in September. Fisheries Trust offers leases The Cape Cod Fisheries Trust will hold a meeting June 4 at 5 p.m. at the Chatham Community Center regarding available leases of groundfish days at sea to local fishermen. For more information, go to www.ccchfa.org or call 508-945-2432. Take a walk The county’s Cape Cod Pathways Program will host its spring walking weekend June 5 through 7. See the schedule of walks across the Cape at www.capecodcommission.org/pathways/ Comment now on economic development Consider it “the first Cape-wide capital infrastructure plan,” Cape Cod Commission Executive Director Paul Niedzwiecki says of the draft five-year update to the Capewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. Written comments, due by June 3, can be sent to economic development officer Leslie Richardson at lrichardson@capecodcommission.org. The draft and a list of priority projects can be found at www.capecodcommission.org/econdevel/CEDS2009/ Leadership role for Richardson Former Barnstable Town Council President Roy Richardson is in line to become vice chair of the Cape Cod Commission July 1, following a vote scheduled for yesterday (May 28). His predecessor, Jay Zavala, resigned from the Commission to assume the presidency of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce. Help Children’s Cove stay on course Children’s Cove will hold its 8th annual golf tournament June 1 at the Ridge Club in Sandwich to benefit families served by this county program. Golfers and non-golfers alike are welcome to the dinner and live auction that follows the tournament. Call Cove director Stacy Gallagher at 508-375-0410 for more information. Cycle comes round to cyclists The wheels are turning ever faster on Cape Cod for bicycling improvements. Joining the push at the Cape Cod Joint Transportation Committee meeting June 5 at 8:30 a.m. at the Cape Cod Commission in Barnstable Village are two cycling planners of note. Toole Design Group senior planner Nick Jackson has been planning bicycle networks for more than a decade; Nicole Freedman is director of bicycle programs for the City of Boston. If bikes aren’t your bag, there’s more on the agenda, including preliminary figures on the 2010-2013 Transportation Improvement Program. Seeking the qualities of Mercy Applications for the 8th annual Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award are available at all town halls on Cape Cod. The countywide project seeks to honor a woman who has demonstrated leadership in the Cape Cod community and who has made a significant contribution to any of the following: the arts, education, business, and community involvement embracing the ideals of patriotism. This award will be presented on July 4 as part of the Independence Day Celebrations in Barnstable Village. The ceremony will be held on the Courthouse lawn at 8:30 a.m. The recipient will receive a maquette of the David Lewis statue of Mercy Otis Warren. Past awards have been presented to Marion Vuilleumier, Jean Gardner, Eugenia Fortes, Bonnie Snow, Felicia Penn, Lynne Poyant, and Josephine Ives. For further information, call Alice George at 508-362-6906.